Any discussion of the prior art throughout the specification is provided so that the invention and the advantages of it may be better understood in an appropriate technical context, but should in no way be considered as an admission that such prior art is widely known or forms part of common general knowledge in the field.
Generally, when applying cladding or a rain-screen to a building frame, an air barrier layer is first placed upon the frame. A series of battens are then placed atop the air barrier and attached to the frame underneath. Finally, a cladding material is typically fixed to the battens.
The space behind the cladding is usually configured to allow ventilation and removal of any water that may enter the wall cavity. Water trapped in a wall cavity if allowed to remain or accumulate, can affect the durability of frame and cladding components.
In known cladding or rain-screen systems, a waterproof membrane such as housewrap, sarking or building paper is the sole air barrier placed upon the building frame. Entry of water, particularly wind driven rain, into buildings can be a problem when such systems are used in high wind areas or on the upper stories of low to medium rise buildings. This is because housewraps, sarking materials and the like are flexible and may deform when exposed to wind or more generally when a pressure differential exists on opposite sides of the air barrier; allowing rain or liquid water to enter the wall behind the air barrier, particularly where adjacent sheets of sarking join or overlap, and thereby become trapped within the wall framing with little hope of removal.
What is needed is a cladding or rain-screen system for buildings that will better protect the building frame from water ingress during periods of wind driven rain.
It is an object of the present invention to overcome or substantially ameliorate one or more of the disadvantages of the prior art, or at least to provide a useful alternative.
It is a further object of the invention in its preferred form to provide an improved rain-screen system and method that are less susceptible to the ingress of water during periods of wind driven rain.
It is a further object of the invention in its preferred form to provide an air barrier for a wall cladding system that is suitable for use on low to mid-rise buildings.